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} UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. FRANCE, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

INDELIBLE PRINT OR PICTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,020, dated August 18, 1891.

Application filed April 28, 1891. Serial No. 390,728. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. FRANCE, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in In'delible Prints or Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to that class of indelible prints or pictures which are described and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 429,843, dated June 10, 1890; and the object of my present invention is to efiect certain improvements in the manufacture of such indelible prints or pictures as set forth in said patent. One of the methods therein set forth is to interpose a picture, print, 01' the like of any kind and on any material between two transparent sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound, said sheets being a little larger in length and width than the interposed picture, and then by any of the usual methods, as by heat or pressure, or both, the said sheets and interposed picture are united together, at the same time also uniting the extending sides or edges of the pyralin sheets, thereby completely inclosing the interposed print or picture. This method is very successful and satisfactory in the case of prints and pictures that are on thin material, as thin paper or silk, for instance; but the pictures or prints which it is desired to cover or interpose between the sheets of pyralin, as set forth, vary in size and thickness and are sometimes, one-eighth of an inch and more in thickness, and in covering a picture of such thickness it is very difficult to seal the extending edges of the pyra lin sheets, especially in view of the unyielding nature of the paper and the metal plates between which the picture and pyralin sheets are pressed. Besides, the pyralin sheets are usually so very thin that when pressed in the manner just set forth the sharp edges of the picture serve as cutting surfaces or edges, whereby the extending edges of the pyralin sheets become in a while detached from the body of the sheets and frequently split or strip off therefrom in handling, leaving the edges of the inclosed picture exposed.

In carrying out my present invention I first out a sheet of pyralin of any desired thickand of about the same width as the margin be- 4 tween the edge of the picture and the outside edge of the pyralin sheet, and over this picture and the frame or strips I place an upper or another sheet of transparent or semi-transparent pyralin of the same size as the under one, and I then unite the whole together by heat and pressure or by any of the well-known methods of uniting a pyroxyline compound to other substances or toitself, thus completely inclosing the picture, the extending edges of the two pyralin sheets and the interposed pyralin strips or frame surrounding the picture being thus securely incorporated together, as will be understood. On examining the edges of this manufacture after completion the sealing is so perfect that it is impossible to detect any union of parts, and the appearance is of one sheet of pyralin or of a picture or print of solid pyralin. Of course for convenience the pyralin sheets, picture, and strips or frame are held together, so that they may not unduly separate in the handling in the manufacture, and, if desired, the strips or frame and the edges of the pyralin sheets may first be cemented together by any suitable cement or by any solvent of pyroxyline, and then the parts comprising the entirefinished picture or article securely united together in any of the ways above stated. This method imparts a perfect finish to the completed article and renders it water-proof and air-tight, besides which the surrounding strips or frame serves to strengthen or re-enforce the edges of the finished article, giving greater body and rigidity thereto and materially preventing warping.

My invention also includes the use, instead of the strips or frame of pyralin with which to surround the picture, of strips or frames of othermaterial, such as metal, rattan,whalebone, heavy buckram, and, in fact, any other suitable material; or, as will be understood, strips or frames of any other material, including metal, may be employed together with the pyralin strips or frame, thereby further stiffening and strengthening the completed picture, as above set forth; and of course, as will be understood, the under sheet or surface may be of other material than pyralin, if desired, as for instance wood, heavy card-board, &c. I can of course use a metal or other solid frame to unite the extending edges of the pyralin sheets, with or without any intermediate strips or frame, by placing the said solid frame on the under side of the under sheet of pyralin, using this frame as a force to compress the extending edges of the pyralin sheets together; but this method is more expensive than the method hereinabove set forth, since such solid frame would have to be made of an infinite variety of sizes and thicknesses corresponding with the variety of sizes of the prints or pictures which it is possible to cover in the manner explained.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An article of manufacture consisting of a picture, print, or the like securely interposed between two sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound, and a strip or frame also interposed between said sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound and securely united thereto at their outer edges, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, a picture, print, or the like securely interposed between two sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound, said sheets being a little larger in length and width than the inclosed picture, print, on the like, and a strip or frame surrounding said picture interposed between said pyralin sheets and united thereto at their outer edges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An article of manufacture consisting of a picture, print, or the like securely interposed between two sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound, said sheets being a little larger in length and width than the inclosed picture, print, or the like and having their edges united to a strip or frame of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound also interposed between said sheets at their outer edges surrounding said picture, substantially as set forth.

4. The method of manufacturing an indelible Water-proof picture, print, or the like, which consists in placing said picture, print, or the like between two sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound and surrounding said picture, print, or the like with a frame or strips of any suitable material and securely uniting together said sheets, picture, and frame or strips, substantially as set forth.

5. The method of manufacturing an indelible water-proof picture, print, or the like, which consists in placing said picture, print, or the like between two sheets of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound and surrounding said picture, print, or the like with a frame or strips of pyralin or other pyroxyline compound and securely uniting together said sheets, picture, and frame or strips, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 13th day of April, 1891.

JOSEPH R. FRANCE.

WVitnesses:

RICHARD J. SIOKELS, CARL STEINKE. 

